Growing Gmelina and Mahogany Trees in the Philippines

Time, money and effort in planting trees are usually wasted if trees are not properly taken care of after they have been planted. It’s not enough that seedlings are planted, they have to be cared for and maintained. The time from planting to maintaining up to weaning the trees varies, depending on the species.

Gmelina needs at least 3-4 times per year of clearing of its surroundings for a period of at least 2 years. However after the 2nd year, clearing their surroundings of weeds is not necessary anymore since the trees are already about 5-8 feet. At this stage their branches and leaves are more than enough to cover the surrounding soil from sunlight, which prevent weeds to grow. The trees can be left alone by themselves from the 2nd year, though if the desire is for the gmelina trees to grow straight without much branches then pruning the branches from the 2nd to 5th year is necessary.

In the case of mahogany trees, maintainance or clearing of its soil surrounding is necessarily done for 4-5 times a year for about 3 years. They are good growers as they normally grow straight and no need for pruning. They automatically prune themselves of their small juvenile branches which helps them grow fast and straight.

Advantages of these 2 Species:

If they were planted at the right time, that is, when the rainy season have just started, there is no need to water them. After at least 4 months of continuous rainy season, their root systems are already developed and can support the trees by themselves under the normal weather conditions in the Philippines. All they need is maintenance, seeing to it they are not covered with weeds and that they are properly applied with fertilizer, especially if the site is urban.

The maintenance part of planting is the more tedious (labor intensive) and the more expensive part of tree planting as this requires at least 4 times visit per year for at least 2 years. However, maintenance assures the growth as well as the health of the trees. By experience, in a mass planting scenario (at provincial/agriculture labor rates), it costs 75PHP to grow a tree to its commercial size (the costs include seedlings, labor and other inputs; the costs are higher in urban planting due to higher cost of labor in the City, aside from cost of tree guards). The above costs are normally spent from planting up to 3rd or 5th year when the trees can already fend for themselves.

By the way, gmelina can grow to mature size of 12" diameter, (at breast height) in 8-10 years. Mahogany, however, grows at 12" diameter size in 20 years.

In the Philippines, trees can grow whole year round compared to temperate zone countries where trees can only grow for 6 months due to winter. However, the only set back here is the 20-25 typhoons that visit the country which can destroy the trees. We normally secure the small trees with stakes, strong enough to support them in case of typhoons. Though by experience, typhoons do not necessarily destroy all trees, only a few. Look at the trees in the golf courses. Most of them are still there standing tall.

Our country is blessed with lots of rains and sunshines aside from its arable land. If only Filipinos realize these natural assets and would plant trees, we would have been the Trees Capital of the World. This therefore leads me to paraphrase again RI President Barry’s motto with my little insert: Plant trees and Be the inspiration!